electrolyte

electrolyte
/i lek"treuh luyt'/, n.
1. Physical Chem.
a. Also called electrolytic conductor. a conducting medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in the form of ions.
b. any substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in a suitable medium or melted and thus forms a conductor of electricity.
2. Physiol. any of certain inorganic compounds, mainly sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate, that dissociate in biological fluids into ions capable of conducting electrical currents and constituting a major force in controlling fluid balance within the body.
[1825-35; ELECTRO- + -LYTE]

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Substance that conducts electric current as a result of dissociation of its molecules into positively and negatively charged particles called ions.

The most familiar electrolytes are acids, bases, and salts, which ionize when dissolved in polar solvents such as water. Many salts, including sodium chloride, behave as electrolytes when melted in the absence of solvent, since they have ionic bonds. The most commonly used electrolytes are dissolved metal salts (for electroplating metals) and acids (in electric batteries). See also electrolysis.

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▪ chemistry and physics
      in chemistry and physics, substance that conducts electric current as a result of a dissociation into positively and negatively charged particles called ions (ion), which migrate toward and ordinarily are discharged at the negative and positive terminals (cathode and anode) of an electric circuit, respectively. The most familiar electrolytes are acids, bases, and salts (salt), which ionize when dissolved in such solvents as water or alcohol. Many salts, such as sodium chloride, behave as electrolytes when melted in the absence of any solvent; and some, such as silver iodide, are electrolytes even in the solid state.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • électrolyte — [ elɛktrɔlit ] n. m. • 1838; angl. electrolyte (1834); de électro et gr. lutos « soluble » ♦ Chim. Corps qui, à l état soluble, est capable de conduire le courant électrique par le mouvement de ses ions dissociés vers des électrodes de charge… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Electrolyte — Électrolyte Un électrolyte est une substance conductrice, car elle contient des ions mobiles. Il existe des électrolytes liquides et solides. Les électrolytes liquides sont les électrolytes aqueux dans lesquels les ions proviennent d un sel… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Electrolyte — E*lec tro*lyte, n. [Electro + Gr. ? a dissoluble: cf. F. [ e]lectrolyte.] (Physics & Chem.) A compound decomposable, or subjected to decomposition, by an electric current …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Electrolyte — Electrolyte. См. Электролит. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • electrolyte — (n.) substance decomposed by electrolysis, 1834, from ELECTRO (Cf. electro ) + Gk. lytos loosed, from lyein to loose (see LOSE (Cf. lose)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • electrolyte — ► NOUN 1) a liquid or gel which contains ions and can be decomposed by electrolysis, e.g. that present in a battery. 2) Physiology the ionic constituents of cells, blood, etc. ORIGIN from Greek lutos released …   English terms dictionary

  • electrolyte — [ē lek′trō līt΄, ilek′trō līt΄; ē lek′trə līt΄, i lek′trəlīt΄] n. [ ELECTRO + LYTE1] any chemical compound that ionizes when molten or in solution, allowing it to conduct electricity …   English World dictionary

  • Electrolyte — This article is about the ionic solution. For the R.E.M. song, see Electrolite. In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution …   Wikipedia

  • Électrolyte — Un électrolyte est une substance conductrice, car elle contient des ions mobiles. Il existe des électrolytes liquides et solides. Les électrolytes liquides sont les électrolytes aqueux dans lesquels les ions proviennent d un sel soluble et les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Electrolyte — An electrolyte is a substance that will dissociate into ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. The electrolytes include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate. Informally, called lytes. (The clue to the word …   Medical dictionary

  • electrolyte — n. a solution that produces ions (an ion is an atom or group of atoms that conduct electricity); for example, sodium chloride solution consists of free sodium and free chloride ions. In medical usage electrolyte usually means the ion itself; thus …   The new mediacal dictionary

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